I have lived in New Orleans long enough that Sunday found me complaining that a Mardi Gras Indian parade was getting in my way.

Who has the gumption to complain about Indians?

To be fair, on Saturday, I had gotten held up by the No Kings parade. Both of these parades had me boxed away from my destination in different ways. The map of New Orleans is confounding enough to navigate without having to second-guess parade routes.

Such was my choice for living in the thick of it all.  Our part of the city is usually quiet, if full of good cheer.  We’re spoiled.

I would complain more if I lived closer to the French Quarter. When this part of the city gets busy, it’s hard to tell.  Endymion ran in Mid-City, but that was a month and a half ago.  Same with Zulu, on Mardi Gras Day, behind our house. The Crescent City Classic is this weekend. Then Jazz Fest, and that’s it. It will be summer until it’s Mardi Gras again.  Such are the seasons in this part of New Orleans.

Nothing happens after the first weekend in May in the back of town.

What is the Crescent City Classic? It’s a 10k road race on the day before Easter. It runs past my house. The first runner will pass around 7:20 in the morning. The last will be around 12:30 in the afternoon. In between, my street will be a river of people.

It happens every year.

Some things in New Orleans are for tourists. Some are for the people who live here. If you are bored in this city, you have a hole in your head.

When you visit New Orleans, you know where you belong.  This is the right website.  Be you.  Be True.  You belong at La Belle Esplanade.